Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Chapter III Madame "En paroles ou en actions, etre discret, c'est s'abstenir." It is to be presumed that the reader knows the usual result of such a tussle with the conscience as that upon which I now entered. At various turning points in a checquered career I have met my conscience thus face to face, and am honest enough to confess that the victory has not always fallen to that ghostly monitor. After favouring me with his ultimatum, the Vicomte looked at me expectantly. I thought of Mademoiselle de Clericy's presence in that old house. Who was I to turn my back on the good things that the gods gave me? I hate your timid man who looks behind him on an unknown road. "As Monsieur wills," I said, and with a sigh, almost of relief I thought, my companion rose. "We will seek the Vicomtesse," he said. "My wife will have pleasure in making your acquaintance. And to-morrow you shall have my answer." "Ah!" thought I; "the Vicomtesse decides it." And I followed Monsieur de Clericy towards the door. "It is half-past eleven," he said, looking at his modest silver watch. "We shall find Madame in her boudoir." This apartment, it appeared, was situated beyond the drawing-room, of which we now passed the door. Below us was the great square hall, dark and gloomy; for its windows had been heavily barred in the old stirring times, and but little light filtered through the ironwork. At the head of the stairs was a 'gallery completely surrounding the quadrangle, and from this gallery access was gained to all the dwelling rooms. The Vicomte tapped at the door of Madame's room, and without waiting for an answer passed in. I, having purposely lingered, did not hear the few words spoken upon the threshold, and only advanced when bidden to do so by my companion. An elderl...